Page 45 of Deception

Twenty minutes later, Nova pointed ahead. “Turn here.”

Olive glanced at the dirt road to her right, and her eyebrows shot up. “This could be interesting . . .”

They pulled down the bumpy dirt road, and the darkness seemed to become darker. Short, shrubby trees lined either side of them—but nothing else. No houses or businesses or other vehicles even.

“Slow down.” Nova glanced at her phone. “We’re getting closer, and I’m not sure what we’re going to come upon.”

Olive’s foot eased off the accelerator.

As she neared the address, she spotted an open area up ahead. She pulled to the side of the road before approaching the house, stopping where the Jeep would be concealed by trees—just in case anyone suspicious was around.

She put the Jeep into Park. “I should go the rest of the way on foot.”

“You’re not leaving me here like a chicken leg in a crab pot.” Nova shoved her phone in her pocket as she prepared to get out.

“A what?”

“Never mind. But I’m coming with you.”

Olive hesitated. She didn’t want Nova to be injured if things went south. Olive had been trained to defend herself, but Nova’s main role with Aegis was as support staff.

But she knew Nova wouldn’t change her mind. She was stubborn. Besides, Olive had her gun with her.

“Then let’s go.” Olive opened her door. “Just stay behind me.”

From behind a tree, Olive observed the house.

There was nothing to hide behind closer to the house. Just a wide-open space leading to the building in front of them.

The house looked more like a shack, a place where no one had lived for quite a while, based on the splintered wooden boards and rusty tin roof. There were no lights on and no cars parked out front.

Thisdefinitelydidn’t look like a place that had internet or where someone would be receiving feed from a hidden camera.

“Strange, isn’t it?” Nova muttered, echoing Olive’s thoughts exactly.

“It is. Are you sure this is the right place?”

Nova nodded. “Positive.”

She stared at the building and frowned. “I suppose this place could be a good cover if someone wanted to have a hideout no one suspects is in use.”

“How are we going to find that out?” Nova asked.

“There’s only one way. We’ve got to get closer.” Olive reached for her gun.

“I’ll follow you.”

Olive gripped her gun in one hand and a flashlight in the other as she stepped closer to the shack. She had no idea what she might find inside, and she needed to be ready for anything. Thankfully, Rex had trained her for situations like this.

She remained skeptical they’d find anything here, but she didn’t want to leave without checking things out first.

“Stay close,” she murmured to Nova.

Remaining low, the two of them hurried toward the house.

If another operative was with Olive, they might split up now. But that didn’t seem wise with Nova, no matter how innocuous this place seemed.

They circled the building, looking for any signs someone had recently been here.